Does Depression Cause Obesity or Does Obesity Prompt Depression?

Abstract

Both depression and obesity are health problems frequently encountered all around the world. The studies carried out in recent years indicate that there is a relationship between obesity and depression but a complete cause and effect relationship cannot be determined. The purpose of this research is to seek an answer to the question of does depression cause obesity o r does obesity prompt depression. Studies were found using PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases and selected on several criteria. When the relationship between depression and obesity is examined, the most basic question is which one affects the other one, in other words what the direction of the relationship between them is. Consequently: studies indicate that there is a relationship between obesity and depression and focus on cause and effect relationship. It is argued that this relationship is bilateral, and it is stated that many factors can affect this relationship. It has been found that obesity increases the depression risk, and depression is also a predictor factor for the development of obesity. In conclusion, it can be said that there is not a single cause for the relationship between obesity and depression, and it has a multi-factorial structure.